History Through Our Eyes: March 3, 1971, Samuel Bronfman

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Although 15 years past standard retirement age, Bronfman was still working full time at the castle-like House of Seagram office on Peel St.

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February 28, 2022 • 59 minutes ago • 1 minute read • Join the conversation

Samuel Bronfman is seen in a 1971 photo taken in the sunroom of his Westmount home.
Samuel Bronfman is seen in a 1971 photo taken in the sunroom of his Westmount home. Photo by Tedd Church /Montreal Gazette

“At 80, ‘Mr. Sam’ is still the king,” read a headline in our March 3, 1971 edition. The legendary Montreal businessman and philanthropist Samuel Bronfman was to celebrate his 80th birthday the following day.

Tedd Church took this photo in the sunroom of the Westmount home where the president of the Seagram distillery empire had resided since 1929. Despite his company’s expansion into the United States, Bronfman chose to remain in Montreal.

Bronfman advocated that the beverages he sold be consumed in moderation, and took his own advice. We reported that he was in the habit of having one shot of whiskey before lunch and dinner every day, and that while his choices might vary, his favorite was Seagram’s VO

Although 15 years past the standard retirement age, Bronfman was still working full time at the castle-like House of Seagram office on Peel St. north of Ste-Catherine St. (The building was later donated to McGill University.) He told our reporter he had no interest in retiring.

“I still have much work left to do, much more progress to make in the coming years,” he said.

Sadly, that was not to be. Samuel Bronfman died a few months later, on July 10.

“During his 47 years as president of the company, Mr. Bronfman saw it grow from a single distillery in the suburb of LaSalle into an international concern that now owns 38 distilleries in 13 countries, owns or has a major interest in eight wineries in France and showed assets of $1,235,379,000 in its 1970 annual report,” we noted in his obituary.

History Through Our Eyes: Photos of People and Events That Shaped 20th Century Montreal, which compiles the original 2019 series in book form, is available online from montrealhistorybooks.com and at local bookstores. A portion of proceeds from books sold at the online address will go to the Gazette Christmas Fund.


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